Elizabeth- I’ll try to take a picture to share!
I am so happy with the tree- and it is early but very warming somehow to decorate and have it ready for the holidays- from November to January.
Also- may I say, that these cookies are so very good. The texture is marvelous- maybe because I baked them in a convection oven- but they taste bakery good- like the recipe they won’t give me from the Bake Shop in Ghent!

Brydie- The funniest story of this tree is that we bought it last year on a bargain day after Christmas for $6.
The ornaments, however, have cost a small fortune! And there are many travel stories behind them all !

Thanks for the link, Heidi! Your cookies look wonderful, and the decorations even more so! We used to have a giant pink flamingo statue – I think it finally broke. It was a 21st birthday present Pete received from old friends.. 🙂

Celia- thank you so much for the recipe for the paste- I have made them both- and just switched up the apricot because I had pecans rather than almonds down here. I made the recipe out of my head (you know if you’ve made enough cookies and breads that you carry a basic recipe around in your head!) but these are really, really good. Better than ever before kind of good- and I think it is the convection oven that made the difference.
I think pink flamingos are the universal joke gift!

Thanks Chopin!
I’m almost as early as the merchants!
But I love the music and the atmosphere- and I won’t be back until the week before- So having the decorations up seems to be the best solution!
And the cookies are a hit with all the grandchildren and children!

I can imagine Christmas to be such a happy time in your home with 3 generations within your beautiful family. In contrast my immediate family are dispersed in 3 different locations over 2 countries and it’s rare that all of us are together at the same time.

I am blessed and quite thankful to have my children all within 10 hours- except my niece- who is heading out to Canberra after Christmas as a representative with your Navy for a couple of years!
Holidays are hard when you can’t be with those you love. 🙁